Volume 55, No. 1
Winter 2015 – 2016
Pull Together Newsletter of the Naval Historical Foundation
A Legacy of Leadership Admiral Bruce DeMars, USN (Ret.) Retires as NHF Chairman
In This Issue:
• A Message from DeMars • DeMars’ NHF Legacy • New Chairman Bio • Violent Skies and McMullen Conference Recaps • Meet the “Slumdog Historian” of NHF
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Pull Together • Winter 2015 – 2016
Message From the Chairman Bruce DeMars Admiral U.S. Navy (Retired) The Naval Historical Foundation will be turning 90 years young next March 23rd. Meanwhile last June 3rd I turned 80 years old! I mention these two calendar milestones because as our organization moves steadily towards its centennial, we need to involve more individuals who share our goals for naval history preservation, education, and commemoration. Thus I am pleased to announce that Admiral William J. Fallon has agreed to relieve me and become the Foundation’s sixth chairman. Approved by the board at our meeting earlier in December, Admiral Fallon’s leadership will be confirmed by NHF members at next June’s annual meeting. Bill has a passion for naval history and he has been a strong supporter of NHF. His biography is featured in this issue. Serving as your chairman over the past seven years following Admiral Holloway’s tenure has been a most enjoyable endeavor thanks to the loyal support you have shown by your response to our appeals for financial support through annual contributions or planned giving and enrollment in our Holloway Society. More significant, many of you have advanced our mission by contributing book reviews, stories for our website and social media outreach, artifacts, oral histories, memoirs and great ideas and faithfully attending our events. I appreciate the hard work of our advisory council and board of directors in their efforts to provide direction and oversight for this most senior of all of the service historical foundations. I want to single out our president, Rear Adm. John Mitchell, and our vice president, Marty Bollinger, for the lead they have taken in studying the roles and missions of the organization and charting paths forward. Our hard-working staff never ceases to impress me for their passionate dedication and ever-increasing expertise. Our Executive Director Capt. Todd Creekman, Historian and Programs Director Dr. Dave Winkler, and office manager Chief Yeoman Frank Arre have been on watch at the Foundation for the past 17 years. Educational Outreach Coordinator Capt. John Paulson and Digital Content Developer Matt Eng have introduced our organization and the 2
The Naval Historical Foundation
Preservation. Education. Commemoration. Since 1926 Leadership Adm. William J. Fallon, USN (Ret.) Chairman RAdm. John T. Mitchell, Jr., USN (Ret.) President Mr. Martin J. Bollinger Vice President RAdm. Larry R. Marsh, USN (Ret.) Treasurer
Directors RAdm. John D. Butler, USN (Ret.) Dr. William S. Dudley Vice Adm. Robert F. Dunn, USN (Ret.) Capt. Maurice A. Gauthier, USN (Ret.) RAdm. William J. Holland, USN (Ret.) The Honorable Steven S. Honigman Dr. J. Phillip London The Honorable Franklin C. Miller Capt. James A. Noone, USNR (Ret.) RAdm. Kathleen K. Paige, USN (Ret.) The Honorable B.J. Penn Dr. Barbara Pilling Dr. David A. Rosenberg Virginia S. Wood
Chairman Emeritus Adm. James L. Holloway III, USN (Ret.) Adm. Bruce DeMars, USN (Ret.)
Directors Emeritus Ambassador J. William Middendorf II VAdm. William H. Rowden, USN (Ret.)
naval history audience to new technology and innovative naval history programs. Finally, our assistant office manager,Charo Stewart, Museum Store Manager Tiffany Gwynn, and store assistant John Royal have been loyal and creative in their daily jobs in support of the Foundation’s overall mission. Ninety years is a remarkable milestone. I know that under the leadership of Admiral Fallon we will continue to “pull together” in the years ahead!
Pull Together • Winter 2015 – 2016
Adm. William J. Fallon retired from the U.S. Navy in 2008 after a distinguished 40-year career of military and strategic leadership. He has led U.S. and Allied forces in eight separate commands and played a leadership role in military and diplomatic matters at the highest levels of the U.S. government. A life member of the Naval Historical Foundation, Fallon will become the sixth chairman of the organization following in the wake of Adm. Robert. B. Carney (1961–1981), Adm. Arleigh A. Burke (1981–1985), Rear Adm. Elliot Strauss (1985–1998), Adm. James L. Holloway III (1998–2008), and Adm. Bruce DeMars (2008–2015).
Raised in Merchantville, New Jersey, Fallon earned his commission in 1967 through the NROTC program at Villanova University and was designated a Naval Flight Officer upon completion of flight training in December 1967. After completing the Fleet Replacement Group (RAG) training pipeline, Fallon was assigned to an RA-5C Vigilante squadron that embarked in the carrier Ranger for combat operations over Vietnam. Following the end of that war, Fallon transitioned to the A-6 Intruder and continue flying in most Navy carrier-based aircraft over the next two decades. Of his 40 years of naval service, Pull Together • Winter 2015
24 were spent in flying assignments, culminating with his command of Carrier Air Wing Eight embarked in USS Theodore Roosevelt during Operation Desert Storm in 1991. Over those years he recorded more than 1,300 carrier-arrested landings and more than 4,800 flight hours. Selected for his first star in 1992, Fallon’s initial flag assignment was with NATO as Assistant Chief of Staff, Plans and Policy for Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic. A year later, as Commander, Carrier Group Eight embarked in Theodore Roosevelt, he commanded Battle Force Sixth Fleet during Operation Deliberate Force in Bosnia. After a year as Deputy Commander, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, Fallon was confirmed as a vice admiral and assigned as Deputy Commander U.S. Atlantic Command. He subsequently served as Commander, U.S. Second Fleet and Commander, Striking Fleet Atlantic from November 1997 to September 2000. Promoted to admiral in October 2000, Fallon began his first four-star assignment as Vice Chief of Naval Operations. On September 11, 2001, Fallon was in the Pentagon when hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the building. He personally directed the actions of the Navy staff in the wake of the attack and led in the planning of the retaliatory attacks on Al Qaeda and Taliban forces in Afghanistan. From the Pentagon, Fallon moved to Norfolk where he took command in October 2003 of the U.S. Atlantic Fleet and U.S. Fleet Forces Command, with responsibility for the readiness of U.S. naval forces worldwide. In February 2005, he began a two-year tour as Commander, U.S. Pacific Command, directing political-military activities in the Asia-Pa-
cific region. His achievements include a resumption of military engagement with China, new outreach to India, a new agreement on a strategic framework with Japan, and humanitarian assistance to the victims of the 2004 tsunami in Southeast Asia. He also served as Presidential Envoy to Japan, handling bilateral relations after the collision of a U.S. submarine and a Japanese fishing vessel. In his final active duty assignment, he was confirmed as Commander, U.S. Central Command for one year before stepping down in March 2008. As head of Central Command, Admiral Fallon directed all U.S. military operations in the Middle East, Central Asia and Horn of Africa, focusing on combat efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Admiral Fallon was a Robert E. Wilhelm Fellow at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Center for International Studies. He serves on the Global Affairs Advisory Board of Occidental College and the International Advisory Board of the University of California, San Diego, School of Global Policy and Strategy. In addition to being a graduate of Villanova University, he attended the U.S. Naval War College and the National War College and has an M.A. in International Studies from Old Dominion University. 3
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Thank You Admiral DeMars
ver the past seven years, the Naval Historical Foundation has been capably led by Adm. Bruce DeMars, who succeeded Adm. James L. Holloway III as chairman of the board of directors in November 2008. During his tenure, Admiral DeMars oversaw the transition of an organization that had a capital-campaign focus in support of the Navy Museum’s Cold War Gallery project to an organization returning to its main mission of preservation, education, and commemoration of naval history. A native of Chicago, Ill., Admiral DeMars graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1957 and served a long and storied naval career that culminated with his position as Director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion, from 1988 to 1996. Following his retirement from naval service in 1996, he led his Naval Academy class in raising funds to endow a new Distinguished Chair in Naval Heritage for the Academy’s history department. As NHF chairman, Admiral DeMars was instrumental in extending the outreach and visibility of this 90-year-old
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nonprofit organization to Navy leadership and veterans, corporate America, and the American public. Under his direction, the NHF completed an initiative started by Admiral Holloway to raise private funds for a Cold War Gallery for the National Museum of the U.S. Navy. With the completion of the Cold War Gallery Capital Campaign in 2014, NHF transitioned back to its core missions. Facing the reality of limited public access to the Navy Museum within the Washington Navy Yard, DeMars supported NHF initiatives to take the museum to America’s homes and classrooms. He pushed efforts to integrate the teaching of science, technology, engineering, and math along with naval history, so that middle and high school students visiting Navy museums either in person or online can learn about the history of technology in the context of the U.S. Navy’s proud 240-year history. Admiral DeMars leaves a legacy that defines the core values of the Naval Historical Foundation and the United States Navy.
Pull Together • Winter 2015 – 2016
A Legacy of Leadership 2008
Elected NHF Chairman
Nov. DeMars succeeds
Adm. James L. Holloway III as chairman, having served previously as the chairman of the Naval Submarine League.
2011
Jun.
Covert Sub Ops Exhibit DeMars was instrumental in bringing in and redesigning the current “Covert Submarine Operations Exhibit,” which opened inside the Cold War Gallery in June 2011.
2009
Admiral Bruce DeMars has dedicated a majority of his postnaval career to the preservation and commemoration of naval history. As NHF chairman, he brought to completion a museum exhibit fundraising campaign and created new avenues for successful projects and programs in the Foundation’s future.
CWG Central Hall Complete
Dec. In December, DeMars
formally turns over the completed Cold War Gallery (CWG) Central Hall to the Navy, therefore moving forward with NHF’s commitment to the Navy.
2013
Aug.
Holloway Society Created In honor of his predecessor, DeMars creates a support group of generous donors who provide vital funding to various programs that support the Foundation’s mission.
2011
NHF Forms Advisory Council
Apr. DeMars hosts the
first meeting of a new group of esteemed individuals to provide imaginative ideas and creative thinking for the Foundation in future projects.
2014 – 2015
Continuing Our Core Mission Following the completion of the CWG, DeMars shifts focus to STEM-H education, scholarship, historical awards, digitization, and an increased presence online.
Awards:
Other Major Accomplishments:
2009: Naval Academy Distinguished Graduate Award 2011: Ellis Island Medal of Honor 2012: NMHS Distinguished Service Award
2011: Instituted STEM-H Fellowship Program 2012: Instituted Vice Admiral Robert F. Dunn NROTC Essay Contest Prize 2013: Instituted Commodore Dudley W. Knox Naval History Lifetime Achievement Medal 2014: Completion of Cold War Gallery
Pull Together • Winter 2015
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It’s
Rough Seas
Without the Full Issue
Other Volume 55, No. 1 Highlights: • Violent Skies Symposium Recap • Spotlight on the “Slumdog Historian” • Interview with author Jim Hornfischer • Holloway Society Update • Important dates for historical conferences, meetings, and events in 2016
NHF Member Benefits: NHF Members will be receiving an email with a link to read and download the full version of Pull Together online. If you are a member in good standing and have not received an email, please contact our Digital Content Developer, Matthew T. Eng, at meng@navyhistory.org. Want to read more? Become a member today!
Rough Seas for USS Randolph (CVA 15) (NHHC Photo)